The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to a straddle high density electrical connector which can be stably and accurately fixed onto a printed circuit board.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,603,639 and 5,893,764 disclose two different designs of electrical connectors which can be placed onto a printed circuit board with high precision. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,639 discloses an electrical connector which includes a connector body. A clamp piece receiving section is formed on each end of the connector body for engaging with a printed circuit board. However, special tools are required to properly position this electrical connector on the printed circuit board. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,639 was also designed to solve the location problem. The electrical connector of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,639 includes an elongated housing with a U-shaped mounting clip, and the U-shaped mounting clip further comprises a pair of legs joined by a bight portion. The legs are juxtaposed against two surfaces of a printed circuit board for connection to appropriate mounting pads. The electrical connector is adapted for straddle mounting to the printed circuit board at an edge thereof. However, the connection of the electrical connector and the printed circuit board before soldering only relies on the clamping of the legs to the pads. Such connection is not secure. If an outside force exceeding the clamping force is exerted against the connector, the connector can be moved from its desired position relative to the printed circuit board. Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
A first object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector which can be stably mounted to a printed circuit board;
A second object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector which facilitates assembly to a printed circuit board.
Accordingly, a straddle high density electrical connector of the present invention comprises an insulative housing forming a projecting portion, a shield covering the projecting portion of the insulative housing, a pair of hooks, a plurality of terminals receiving in the insulative housing, and a pair of rivets for fastening the insulative housing, the shield and the hooks together. The insulative housing further comprises a pair of clamps positioned adjacent both ends thereof and extending rearwardly for clipping a printed circuit board therebetween. Each hook is positioned adjacent the corresponding clamp and has a pair of legs extending rearwardly from the housing, each leg has a tip at a free end thereof for inserting into a corresponding through hole defined in the printed circuit board which the electrical connector is mounted onto. In addition, each clamp comprises an upper receiving surface for engaging with the upper surface of the printed circuit board and a lower receiving surface for engaging with the lower surface of the printed circuit board, a triangular-shaped rib being formed on the lower receiving surface. Each tip of each hook projects beyond the corresponding upper receiving surface or lower receiving surface of a corresponding clamp, respectively.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.